Haryana: Ashok Khemka says he’s being victimised

Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka shot into the limelight after he cancelled a land deal between Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, reality major DLF following which he has claimed he has been hounded by the state government.

Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka is determined to play the game on his own terms.

Days after being chargesheeted by the state government for several “offences”, the 1991 batch IAS officer on Tuesday turned the chain of events into a game of cricket and described himself as a “batsman in a match where (the) umpire is totally biased”.

Khemka shot into the limelight after he cancelled a land deal between Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, reality major DLF following which he has claimed he has been hounded by the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government.

Khemka’s cricket metaphor was part of an 11-page letter he dashed off to Haryana chief secretary PK Chaudhery, alleging that he “has been humiliated publicly for doing my job”.

Khemka was recently chargesheeted by the state government for alleged low sale of wheat seeds and purchase of weedicide in higher prices during his stint with Haryana Seeds Development Corporation.

He maintained that the chargesheet “could not be considered unbiased” as it was approved by SS Dhillon, the officer he had “exposed”. Dhillon is currently serving as principal secretary to chief minister Hooda.

Khemka further alleged that Dhillon approved the second chargesheet against him because he (Khemka) had exposed Dhillon’s role in granting a commercial colony licence to Sky Light Hospitality, owned by Vadra. Dhillon was director general of town and country planning department and urban estates at that time and he had allegedly allowed Vadra-owned Sky Light Hospitality to bend laws for the firm’s benefit.

On the issue of chargesheet against him for alleged poor sale of wheat seeds and costlier purchase of weedicide during his stint as managing director, Haryana Seeds Development Corporation, he held that Roshan Lal, principal secretary (agriculture), who recommended action against him “was peeved at my protest against supplies of an unapproved fungicide (Raxil), filing complaint with CBI against wheat seed purchase scam, exposing connivance with private companies and objecting to placing indent for specific branded seeds”, besides other grave irregularities in HSDC.

“It will be first time in the state that an IAS officer of 23-year seniority will be put to charge sheet without proper examination of the issues on your file or seeking comments before subjecting him to the humiliation of a charge sheet,” Khemka wrote and sought examination of the issues an honest, impartial and dispassionate manner, consistent with the best traditions of the All India Services.

However, both Dhillon and Roshan Lal rubbished the charges leveled against them by Khemka.

Dhillon said that he was not biased against any one nor he had any personal vendetta against any one and whatever action was being taken against Khemka was as per rules and on merits.

Lal, however, said that he would send his comments, if sought, in the context to the government.